Date: 15 September 1959

Location: Houston, Texas, United States

Type of event: criminal

Description:

Paul Orgeron entered Poe Elementary School, Houston, Texas, and asked about enrolling his 7-year-old son but had no relevant documents, with which he promised to return. He returned to the school playground with his son a few minutes later, about 8:30 AM, carrying a briefcase containing about six sticks of dynamite, and gave a threatening note to a teacher. The teacher called for assistance from other staff and began moving students to safety. When Orgeron was confronted by the school principal and a custodian, he detonated the explosives, killing himself, his son, two other 7-year-old students, a teacher and the custodian. Those injured included 17 children ages 6 to 10 and the school principal.

Consequences: 4 killed, 5 injured

References:

• Gooding, Ed, and Robert Nieman, 2001, Ed Gooding: Soldier, Texas Ranger, Ranger Publ. (Longview, TX).
• Houston Chronicle, 29 Jan. 2001, "Poe school coverage detailed a tragedy," Houston Chronicle, on line [http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/first100/805927.html].
• Time, 28 Sept. 1959, "'That man has dynamite'," Time, on line at Time, [http://jcgi.pathfinder.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,811266,00.html].
• "Violence in our schools," on line [http://columbine-angels.com/other_shootings.htm].

© 2017 by Wm. Robert Johnston.
Last modified 3 December 2017.
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